Tackling three big questions after five commit to Syracuse football 2013 recruiting class since Signing Day

It's something you rarely see, at the Division I level. It just tells me that they think they really need some talent in some areas and some depth."

Bethlehem Liberty wide receiver K.J. Williams would signal a major recruiting victory for Syracuse as it transitions into the ACC later this summer.Easton Express-Times

May is one of the busiest recruiting months on the calendar, so it's a good time to check in with Brian Dohn, who covers northeast recruiting for Scout.com, to break down some of the biggest recruiting questions for Syracuse as it transitions into the ACC.

"Everything in recruiting is quick, quick, quick now," Dohn said. "Kids are getting offered as freshmen, they're committed as sophomores and juniors. To go and get that many kids late, it sends a signal to me, first of all, it's out of the norm. It's something you rarely see, if ever, at the Division I level. It just tells me that they think they really need some talent in some areas and some depth.

"I applaud them for that, but the question is: How good are these kids? Have they out-scouted every other school that was on these kids?

"Have they found these kids that nobody else knew about, or are they taking fliers hoping a couple of them pan out?"

Three of the five are junior college transfers, which would indicate the coaching staff identified positions that need immediate help, particularly at scrimmage and linebacker Earlier this spring, we took a closer look at the high number of junior college transfers Syracuse is bringing in this year, and most committed to the program when Doug Marrone was head coach.

"I'll give coaches the benefit of the doubt of being able to find one kid late after, but when you start looking and you're bringing in three, four, five kids after Signing Day, either Syracuse has found a new way to recruit or they're just trying to stopgap things the best they can and get some bodies in there."

Does the stockpiling of older prospects, from the junior college transfers to incoming quarterback Drew Allen, signal an urgency to storm out of the gate strong in Year 1 of ACC competition?

"What it tells me is they feel like they need to do this to be competitive now," Dohn said. "If they thought they could be competitive with what was in the program, they wouldn't have taken this route. If they thought they had their quarterback in the program, they wouldn't have gone and gotten a transfer the way they did.

"The competitiveness of a new coach wants to win right away. They're going to a new conference. They have a new coach. Yeah, they wanna make a big splash.

"Now the quarterback, obviously they thought they needed some quarterback depth there. But maybe they think they need another year for their other kids in the program because (Ryan) Nassib played so long there that maybe they just need more time to develop things."

» Syracuse is bringing in two freshmen quarterbacks this summer in Mitch Kimble and Austin Wilson, and quarterback A.J. Long is one of two commitments thus far for the Orange's 2014 recruiting class.

Naesean Howard, the West Genesee running back, was the first prospect to verbally commit to Syracuse's 2014 recruiting class.Jim Commentucci | Post-Standard

And K.J. Williams, Long's cousin and one of the most highly sought wide receiver recruits in the country, is considering Syracuse.

Williams, Dohn said, may be a good indicator as to where Syracuse ranks on the recruiting board.

What does Syracuse need to focus on in recruiting moving forward?

"For whatever reason, Syracuse got away from New Jersey, got away from Eastern Pennsylvania," Dohn said. "They got away from New York City. They need to re-establish themselves to get the elite kids in New York City. They have to figure out a way to get back into Jersey to get some kids. They spent a lot of time in Ohio. You don't think of them recruiting those places. They just need to strengthen their relationships and get these kids to buy into rebuilding Syracuse, and the way you do that is for them to get along with the coaches and for there to be stability for them.

"They're off to a decent start. Let's see if they can get some kids like K.J. Williams out of Bethlehem. Curtis Samuel out of New York just put out a top five and Syracuse wasn't on it.

"Thomas Holley (defensive tackle, Brooklyn, N.Y.), he's not talking about Syracuse much these days. They just need to — give the staff the benefit of the doubt because a lot of it is new and it takes time, but they need to improve relationships with a lot of these kids if they're going to be able to compete with the top programs in the ACC when it comes to recruiting."